Odom traded to Los Angeles
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Lamar loves LA. Now let's see if he can still play ball.
Lamar is headed back to Los Angeles, but not back to the Lakers. He's heading back to his original LA team, the Clippers. The only difference is this time they actually have a descent team. This is all part of a three team deal. The Clippers, Mavs, and Jazz all have their hands in the cookie jar in this trade.
The trade sends Odom to the Clippers and Mo Williams to the Jazz. The Jazz are capable of absorbing Williams's $8.5 million price tag due to an $8.2 million trade exception, similar to the one that brought Odom from the Lakers to Dallas last season.
The deal hinges on Williams exercising his $8.5 million player option for next season, but sources say Williams is game. The Clippers are clearly banking on the fact that having Lamar back in LA where he feels comfortable, he will be able to bounce back to his 2010-2011 form as the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year and not his 6 points per game form in Dallas. The Jazz are happy to get their hands on Williams's 13.2 points per game as Mo is known as an offensive machine.
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The Chicago Bulls are making moves to try and acquire either Steve Nash or Jason Kidd this summer.
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Not a bad move since Rose won't be around.
Sources are now reporting that the Chicago Bulls are making inquiries to the Suns and Mavs looking to acquire either Steve Nash or Jason Kidd. This indicates that Rose will almost definitely miss all of next year, but it also indicates the Bulls are confident that if they acquire a solid point guard they can still make a run at a championship in 2013.
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“I have to be who I am,” James said. “Last year was the biggest teacher. The greatest teacher in life is experience. And I had that last year. I’m back to being the person who can take over games. I have no problem taking over a game now.”

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The 2011 LeBron James worried what others thought. The 2012 LeBron James only worries about winning, so leading his Miami Heat comes naturally.

James rightfully took a hit following ‘The Decision’ and The Pre-emptive Championship Declaration. The media hounded him, while the public wanted to see him and the Heat fail.

Their every move was captured and critiqued, much of the attention wasn’t positive. So James’ star power and reputation took a hit, resulting in a confrontational press conference following the Heat’s loss to the Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

The process changed James as a different person. A little time away, a little reflection, a nasty lockout, and The King has returned in 2012.

Yes, there are the same questions about James’ supporting cast. And yes, the Heat are again the second seed in the Eastern Conference behind the Chicago Bulls.

There is, however, no doubt the Heat are James’ team. He’s back to leading. He’s back to taking over games. He’s back to being vocal on-court. And this all started when he let go of the past.

“It was short lived, too bad it couldn’t work out but things happen for a reason. My life has been so crazy the last couple years, as far as issues with my family, as far as going through personal tragedy. And I felt like God was saying, ‘You know what Lamar, I’m going to give you a little time. A little time to step back and soak everything in….”

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Lamar Odom is not Socrates or Dr. Phil, but he was rather introspective when discussing his fall with the Dallas Mavericks.

In case you’ve been living in a cave: the Los Angeles Lakers included Odom in the nixed Chris Paul deal, Odom got mad and demanded a trade, and the purple-and-gold obliged by sending him to the Dallas Mavericks for a paltry trade exception.

Odom was a peculiar fit for the defending world champs’. He was out of shape. He’s also a finesse player and Rick Carlisle’s bunch needed grit to replace Tyson Chandler. And his reality TV relationship with Khloe Kardashian didn’t help matters -even though Mavericks owner Mark Cuban runs the Shark Tank and was an epic failure on Dancing With The Stars.

Then there were the cap implications. The Mavericks only acquired Odom to buy him out at year’s end and use the financial flexibility to chase free agent Deron Williams.

Add it up and Odom struggled miserably in the Lone Star State. Fans booed him. Teammates questioned him. And he had a run-in with Cuban before being told he was on paid vacation.

To be fair, there was much we didn’t know. Odom’s marriage, even if it’s a reality TV spectacle, was stumbling. And his cousin was murdered.

So the forward needed some personal time. Hey we’ve all been there.

Don’t count Odom out, though. He’ll have a few offers this summer and will surely take the Mini-Mid level exception to join one of his two former teams in Los Angeles.

“These fans really believe in me in this place and they really know basketball. They’ve seen the greatest of greats come through here,” he said. “It’s unreal. In my whole career, it’s never been like this, being noticed. You’re on ESPN every night or TNT. You’re with Kobe Bryant out there in the backcourt. I want to be here. I don’t know what that means or how that’s going to happen. It ain’t no secret. I’ll tell anybody that. I tell [Lakers General Manager] Mitch Kupchak. I tell my agent. I want to be here. Period. For a long time.”

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Ramon Sessions will probably be back in Los Angeles Lakers next season.

After all, Sessions likes the Lakers. And the Lakers like Sessions, the dynamic point guard they acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers at the trade deadline.

Why would Sessions, who claims to be living a dream playing next to Kobe Bryant, decline a player’s option for next year? Why risk a good thing?

Well, money. Sessions wants a raise on the $4.6 million he’s due in 2013 and greater security with a long-term pact. Things can change and twelve months from now he may not have the same leverage.

The Lakers will pay Sessions this summer -if his demands are fair. His ability to attack the hoop and lightning-quick feet have provided another dimension to coach Mike Brown`s system.

That said, things are always somewhat fluid at Staples Center. Executives Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak are constantly trying to improve, which may include chasing free agent Deron Williams this summer.

It’s unlikely Williams ends up in Los Angeles. Dallas is home. And Team Cuban has been hoarding cap space in hopes of signing the perennial All-Star to a max’ money pact.

Stranger things have happened, though. For instance, nobody thought the Lakers had the assets to acquire Chris Paul. And they did. Twice.

Commissioner David Stern stepped in to nix the trade and appease militant email writing owners like Cleveland’s Dan Gilbert. Paul was then shuttled off to the Los Angeles Clippers for a sub par package.

So Sessions is taking a risk, albeit a small one, by refusing to opt-in. The impossible -- like the Lakers signing Williams -- has a way of becoming reality with the NBA`s glamour team.

Eric Gordon is a fan of New Orleans, which should come as welcome news to, well, New Orleans fans. He loves the food, the laid-back vibe and the folks who support the last-place Hornets despite being given so many reasons to stay away. Bring up the coach (that's second-year man Monty Williams for you non-loyalists), and the 23-year-old shooting guard who will be a restricted free agent this summer makes it sound as if he never wants to leave.

“I like Lamar as a person, but I’m disappointed about everything that happened in Dallas. And it’s a shame that the Mavs got to pay him, to be honest with you. He don’t deserve to get paid for what he put out there this year. He doesn’t deserve it, plain and simple.”LinkHoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: So where does it end?
According to Charles Barkley, the Dallas Mavericks shouldn’t have to pay Lamar Odom because he did nothing for the defending world champions.
Well, should the New York Knicks ask for a refund from Eddy Curry? Or, how about the Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards with Gilbert Arenas? Do you think the Detroit Pistons would want a re-do on Charlie Villanueva’s three-year, $24 million pact?
Look on every NBA team’s roster and you’ll find a bad contract or two. And bad contracts have always been a part of David Stern’s league because the union was smart enough to make sure those bad contracts were guaranteed.
But Odom will get his. He’ll likely end up a free agent this summer when the Mavericks buy out the final year of his contract this June.
And who will want an emotional power forward with more baggage than his Hollywood socialite wife?
Odom`s wallet will take a hit. He may get the mini mid level exception this summer, which would be a $5 million reduction in salary.
Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Lamar Odom's brief and bumpy ride with the Dallas Mavericks has come to an abrupt end. The Mavericks and Odom spent Easter Sunday working out a parting, according to sources close to the situation, that frees the struggling Odom to leave the team immediately without actually being released.

HoopsVibe`s Very Quick Call: The Dallas Mavericks and Lamar Odom parted ways on Easter Sunday, ending a short, unsuccessful run together. The Mavericks have struggled to find their form, while Odom never accepted the Los Angeles Lakers trading him -even though he requested a change after the nixed Chris Paul trade.

The Mavericks will likely be fine. In fact, the defending world champions may be better without Odom and the circus that surrounds him.

After all, the former Sixth Man of the Year contributed little on-court, so the Mavericks will simply give his minutes to other players, buy-out the final year of his deal before July, and use the cap space to chase Deron Williams this summer.

Odom will take a hit, however. He was distracted all year and few teams will have interest in signing him after the debacle in Dallas.

Of course, the few teams that do have interest in Odom will then have to decide if they want the reality TV monster known as Khloe and Lamar in the locker room.

The answer is likely no.

Since shacking up with a Kardashian about two years ago, Odom has been distracted and confused. Perhaps he needs to return to being a basketball player.
Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Odom tried to find an ounce of humor in the sad situation, but the reality is it appears Carlisle is done with the spin, done with the positive reinforcement and maybe even done putting Odom on the floor with nine games left that are so vital to the defending champs' postseason hopes in this strange, strange season. "I can’t read it," Odom said of the immediate future. "It is what it is. What can I do? Coach is always right."

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Lamar Odom became a target the moment he went on TV for something other than basketball.

People fall in love. And Odom fell in love with Khloe Kardashian. But he didn’t have to be part of her reality world, hawking their relationship and various lifestyle products on the ‘E’ network.

Being such a public figure means perhaps he gets more of the blame than he deserves for the Dallas Mavericks’ poor play.

Make no mistake about it, Odom has been disappointing since coming over from the Los Angeles Lakers in a pre-season trade.

But what did Team Cuban expect?

Odom -- when unfocused and uninspired -- is a soft player. There was no way he could do any of things Tyson Chandler did for the Mavericks’ championship run.

Of course, the Mavericks never really wanted Odom. They wanted his contract, which they’ll buy-out at season’s end in order to chase free agent point guard Deron Williams.

Here’s what Odom should do: contact his former brother-in-law Kris Humphries. The Nets’ power forward, after an acrimonious divorce to Kim Kardashian, has kept a low profile, given up on being a second-rate celebrity, and focused on basketball.

Odom should do the same. His career, as a basketball player, depends on it.